More than 40 former Black Hills State University track and field and cross country runners returned to campus recently to participate in the 21st annual Stadium Sports Grill BHSU Alumni Mile.

More than 40 former Black Hills State University track and field and cross country runners returned to campus recently to participate in the 21st annual Stadium Sports Grill BHSU Alumni Mile. The weekend-long event, held in conjunction with the Dave Little Invitational, included a Friday night social at the Stadium Sports Grill in downtown Spearfish, and an after-race luncheon in the BHSU Yellow Jacket Hall of Fame room.

This year the event raised more than $2,000. At the milers request, the majority of the money raised this year went to the newly established Dave and Claudia Little endowment which, like the alumni mile endowment, goes to BHSU track and field, and cross country students. The contributions were then matched by the Littles.

Dave Little coached the Yellow Jacket cross country team for three decades and the track and field team for 28 years. He was recognized as South Dakota Sportswriters Association's College Coach of the Year in 1978, was honorary referee at the Howard Wood-Dakota Relays in 2001, received the Kretchman Coaching Award from Northern State in 2004, and was inducted into BHSU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. He retired from BHSU in 2002 after 34 years of coaching and teaching.

Laine Parish, English education major from Cheyenne, Wyo., and Courtney Dickson, exercise science major from Cavour, were awarded this year’s Alumni Mile Scholarships.

The Alumni Mile was started in 1993 by former BHSU cross country runner Jim Glazer, Class ’83. The Alumni Mile endowment was created by Myles Kennedy, a longtime BHSU Yellow Jacket supporter and former president of the Yellow Jacket Foundation.